Buzz Blog

Local Music: Tying A Bow On 2013

Hey, gang! As we close out the year and look at the final albums coming out, it should be noted that these are usually the forgotten releases. --- For most bands who choose to release an album in the last six weeks of the year, they usually get left off lists and countdowns and various other “notable” articles, mainly because writers are already looking back in late October. So for these select few, this may be the only press they ever receive.

First up is the latest release from Euphoria Again, the one-man project by the mysterious “JFK.” This is the first full-length album he's produced that is, believe it or not, produced for real! Most of his previous releases have been bedroom recordings that he's released sporadically over the past year, but this self-titled one actually sounds pretty awesome. It's a wonder what happens when you pick your game up. You should snag a copy for a “name your price” tag on Bandcamp.

Another name from the mysterious-origins section is Claustrophobic Uncle, a no-name project out of Salt Lake City that just put out an EP titled Living Losing. It isn't too shabby, but $7 for just four tracks may be a bit too much for people to pay. If you dig it, it may be worth your cash, but otherwise, it's just kind of a cool EP to listen to.

Keeping with bands I know little to nothing about, next up is Anava, an experimental-alternative band out of Ogden that hasn't built any kind of social media or Web presence, letting the music speak for itself. The band released what was essentially a demo album in July called Foresight, comprised of early versions of songs you can find on their debut full-length released a couple weeks ago. 29 is a collection of material you might find at Kilby Court on a really special night, lilting vocals layered over instrumentation that seems improvised on the spot, making a decent effort to be quirky enough to catch your attention but not turn you off. You can download a copy on their Bandcamp for a “name your price” tag.

Speaking of hip-hop, this month also saw the latest release from m.duby, a local emcee (seen above, courtesy of Facebook) who apparently called it quits after his January release The Salute EP, but clearly didn't tell enough people about it because none of us really knew he was done. And clearly he must not have been all that serious about departing, as he's now got an 18-track full-length out called Bird In the Cage. You can purchase a hard copy for $1, or snag one digitally for whatever price you want on Bandcamp.

And finally, going into the electronica end of things, DJ RoboRob has a brand-new album out for anyone looking to spice up their dance floor on a night without a proper DJ. Scrub Dubbed—Robo Remixes 5 is a collection of remixes and tributes, including tracks by Rage Against the Machine and Tegan & Sara. You can snag a copy on the Damn Son label's Bandcamp page for a “name your price” tag.